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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26216272">Leader</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerStormFlower/pseuds/SummerStormFlower'>SummerStormFlower</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lego Ninjago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>? - Freeform, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Comfort, Gen, Humour, Insecurity Issues, Tags, i don’t know, reassurance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 09:00:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>711</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26216272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerStormFlower/pseuds/SummerStormFlower</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lloyd, Kai and Cole talk about the mantle of leadership.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cole &amp; Kai (Ninjago), Cole &amp; Lloyd Garmadon, Lloyd Garmadon &amp; Kai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Leader</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s just an ordinary night. Kai, Lloyd and Cole are the only ones there. Everyone else has either something to do or somewhere to be. That left just the three of them. </p>
<p>Cole was drawing. Kai was flipping mindlessly through the channels on the tv (there was nothing good on). </p>
<p>Lloyd was beside him, staring down at his lap. He’d been quiet all evening. Kai expected him to open up about whatever was wrong to them when he was ready. </p>
<p>“Finished,” Cole then said, turning his sketchpad around. “What do you think?”</p>
<p>He had drawn Kai and Lloyd, sitting on the couch. </p>
<p>“Cool,” Kai said. Art wasn’t really his forte. </p>
<p>Cole rolled his eyes. “What, your hair not spiky enough for you?” he asked sarcastically. </p>
<p>Kai smirked. “Well, you gotta admit. Nothing’s better than the real thing,” he said. </p>
<p>Cole chuckled. </p>
<p>It was then, Lloyd spoke up quietly. “Hey guys...”</p>
<p>Kai and Cole turned their attention to him. </p>
<p>Lloyd hesitated, hanging his head so his blond hair hid his eyes. It was a habit he’d acquired ever since he’d grown his hair longer.</p>
<p>“What is it?” Kai asked, ever the impatient one. </p>
<p>Lloyd sighed. “Am I a bad leader?” he finally asked meekly.</p>
<p>Kai and Cole blinked at each other. </p>
<p>“Of course not,” Cole reassured. </p>
<p>“What made you even think that?” asked Kai. </p>
<p>“Just... I...” Lloyd huffed irritably. “Are you sure?” he asked, “Because I’ve made a lot of mistakes.”</p>
<p>“We’ve all made mistakes, Lloyd,” Cole said gently.</p>
<p>“But-but I’m the leader!” Lloyd exclaimed, rubbing at his arm.</p>
<p>“Even leaders make mistakes sometimes,” said Kai. “I mean, me and Cole made plenty of mistakes when we lead the team.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Cole agreed, nodding his head. “Nobody can be perfect. And you don’t have to feel bad about it, Lloyd.”</p>
<p>Lloyd thought about that to himself for a moment. </p>
<p>Cole reached out and placed a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder. “Your successes outweigh your mistakes,” he said, smiling when Lloyd perked up a little. “You’re a good leader. And I trust you with my life always.”</p>
<p>Lloyd stopped rubbing his arm, a small smile on his face. </p>
<p>Then the smile fell again. </p>
<p>“Are you...” he licked his lips, “still bitter?”</p>
<p>Kai arched an eyebrow. “About you taking over as leader?”</p>
<p>Lloyd nodded. </p>
<p>“No,” Kai said. Guilt seeped into his expression. “And I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel like a bad leader.”</p>
<p>Lloyd smiled, relieved, and shook his head. “Thanks, Kai. It’s okay.”</p>
<p>The guilt lifted and Kai grinned, happily slinging an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. </p>
<p>Lloyd then looked at Cole worriedly. “You’re not bitter, are you?” he asked. </p>
<p>Cole smiled comfortingly. “I was never bitter,” he said.</p>
<p>Kai thought for a moment. “That’s true,” he said, frowning, “You were cool as a cucumber when Lloyd became leader.”</p>
<p>Cole scratched the back of his head, averting his eyes. “Yeah, well uh... I never liked leading,” he mumbled. </p>
<p>Kai and Lloyd stared at him, surprised. </p>
<p>“You didn’t?” Lloyd asked. He never knew that. Cole had never said anything about it. </p>
<p>Cole shook his head. “I only did it because I had to,” he said. </p>
<p>“I don’t understand,” Kai said, confused, “Why?”</p>
<p>Cole sighed, dragging a hand through his hair and still not looking at either of them. “It’s my duty to protect you all. You know, I’m the brawn. Not the brain,” he explained. He glanced at them nervously. “The last thing I wanted was for any of you to get hurt under my lead. It was... too much responsibility.”</p>
<p>Empathy swelled up inside Kai’s chest. “Why didn’t you say anything before?” he asked gently. He hated it when one of his siblings suffered in silence. </p>
<p>Cole hesitated. “I didn’t want to let you down,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>“You could never let us down, Cole,” Lloyd reassured. “You’re the kind of person, uh, you know,” he chuckled embarrassedly, “that I wouldn’t want to let down.” His cheeks grew a tiny bit warm. He’d never said that out loud before. </p>
<p>Cole relaxed and smiled, ruffling Lloyd’s hair playfully. “Well, you could never me down either, kid,” he reassured.</p>
<p>Lloyd almost pouted. “I’m a teenager!”</p>
<p>Kai laughed. </p>
<p>“That’s a kid in our book,” Cole said, laughing too. </p>
<p>Lloyd really did pout this time.</p>
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